Choosing the Right Cut of Timothy for Your Pet

Timothy Hay has long been considered the gold standard of hay for small herbivores. And when hay should make up 80% of your pet’s diet, you want to choose one that you know your furry friend will eat to help maintain their health. Each pet is different and has their own preferences, so we can’t expect to have a “one size fits all” approach when it comes to their food. Because of this, it has become our practice to offer many different varieties and qualities of all of our hay, including first cutting and second cutting Timothy Hay.

First cutting Timothy is exactly what it sounds like – it’s hay produced from the first cutting of the Timothy growing season. First cutting Timothy Hay is typically tall and thick when it has matured enough to be harvested, which results in hay that is crunchier and loaded with more seed heads, which lots of pets go crazy for. It’s also slightly higher in fiber and always low in protein, so it is a great option for helping keep the digestive system in great condition and good for grinding down the always growing teeth.

Second cutting takes place once the hay crop grows back to maturity after the first cutting hay is baled and harvested, usually late in the summer season. This growth cycle happens in a shorter time as the crop races mother nature to mature fully before the end of the growing season, which produces softer and greener hay full of leaves with fewer seed heads. It is also commonly extremely close to first cutting nutritionally with high fiber and low protein, making it a great everyday hay for most adult rabbits.

At Grandpa’s Best, we hand-sort and hand-package all of our hay, so we guarantee to get only the best first and second cutting Timothy Hay to your pet. Both our first and second cutting Timothy Hay are available from 40oz mini bales, to 20lb loose boxed hay. Have questions on which hay is a better fit for your furry friend? Reach out to us at support@gbpets.com and we will be happy to find the right product for you.